Drier



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

(No Model.)

B. R. SHAW.

DRIER.

No. 427,198. Patented May 6, 1890.-

TNE Nonms PETERS co, PNUTO-LITHQ., WASHXNGTOM, n. c.

(No Model.) 2 Sheets Sheet 2. E. R. SHAW.

DRIER.

No. 427,198. Patented May 6, 1890.

wuem/bo z wfww ' UNITED STATES ELTON R. sIIAw, or SAN FRANCIsoo,ASSIGNOR TO MOSHER, sI-IAw a CRAIG, or SAN JOSE, CALIFORNIA.

DRIER.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 427,198, dated May 6,1890.

Application filed April 6, 1889. Serial No. 306,249. (No model.)

p be a full, clear, and exact description of the same. A

My invention relates to the class of driers or evaporators for fruit,vegetables, &c.; and my invention consists in the constructions andcombinations of devices which I shall hereinafter fully describe andclaim.

A difficulty in driers is a failure to dry uniformly in all parts of thedriera necessary operation to enable the material under treatment toemerge in as near a uniform degree of desiccation as will insure itsproper keeping qualities, color, and flavor. My drier is intended toovercome this difficulty, as well as to enable the operators to handletheir work with facility and profit.

Referring tothe accompanying drawings for a more complete explanation ofmy invention, Figure l is a vertical longitudinal section of my drier,the cars being in elevation. Fig. 2 is a detail of one car and theinlet-passage for the heated air and controllingvalves therefor. Fig. 3is a detail perspective of valves H. p

A is the chamber or box of the drier, having an entrance at at one endand an exit a at the other end. It has also an escape-flue In thischamber are tracks B, upon which travel the receptacles or cars C, whichcarry the fruit-trays. Under the chamber or box is a hot-air conduit D,which extends its whole length, and is preferably made with anupwardly-sloping bottom in order to facilitate the flow of the heatedair to the extreme end. This conduit receives its heated air at the endat from any suitable furnace or source of heat, unnecessary herein toshow. In the top of this conduit and at intervals throughout its lengthare the outlet-openings e, which are controlled by the two-part valvesE. These valves are hinged on opposite sides of the outlet-openings andfall to the center to close them, in this position resting on a fixedledge e. The outlet-openings extend across the full width of the carsabove, and their valves are operated by the series of sliding bars F,which extend to the end of the drier and may be operated in anysuitablemanner. bars are independent, there being one for each valve.The connection between the sliding bars and valves is by means of an armf, secured to one part of the valve, and the link f, secured to theother part of the valve. The link has a stud f playing in a slot f inthe arm, and the lower end of thearm is engaged on each side by pins fin the sliding bar. By moving the bar in one direction the valve isopened, and by moving it in the other direction the valve is closed, andthus the valve of each outlet from the underlying air-passage may beoperated separately.

The cars 0 have on each side at their bases downwardly-extendingflange-plates G, between which the valve E plays, said. plates thusforming end wells of the outlet-passages. Under the bottom of the carsare the transverse cleats g, against which the valves rest when in avertical position, said cleats and valves thus forming the side walls ofsaid outlet-passages. The cars are each made with upwardly-taperingfront and back walls, and the trays c are arranged therein, as shown, toform an upwardly-tapering air-space 0' across the car, the lower end ofsaid space commucating with the outer passages from the hotair passagebelow. The trays are in vertical series, and on account of the taperingshape of the car the inner ends of the trays over lap or intersectdifferent vertical planes. The spaces between the trays communicate attheirinner ends with the central air-space c of the car and attheirouter ends these spaces are controlled by the valves H. These valves,which are made of parallel strips, each consists of two members, onefixed and the other movable, the latter being connected with the fixedmember by pivoted links h, and its movement being similar to the-movement of parallel rulers. The members fit together by correspondingrabbets 77.. When the swinging member is moved close up to the fixedmember, it opens a space between itself and the fixed member of thevalve below, and when moved down it closes said space, though withoutopening any space between itself and 100 These its own fixed member, asthe rabbets h are long enough to avoid this. The bottoms and tops of thecars are tight. The sides are also tight and consist of removable platesheld in place by buttons 0 and provided with swinging doors 0 wherebythe fruit may be inspected from time to time. The removable side platesprovide for the insertion of the f ruit-trays, and one or both sides maybe made removable.

The operation of the drier is as follows: The cars being laden are runinto the box or chamber A, which may or may not be air- They pass in atone end and emerge tight. from the other end. Their movement isperiodical'that is, as a fresh car is entered all the cars within aremoved up one place, so as to stand over an outlet-passage from thehotair conduit below. In making this movement the valves E are allclosed, so as not to interfere with the cleats on the car-bottoms. Thenwhen the cars are in place the valves or any number, or any one of themmay be opened, as circumstances require. This gives the operatorcomplete control. If he finds that the fruit of any one or more cars iswell dried before they have reached the exit, he can-keep the valvesover which said cars may be standing closed, and he may open any valveto continue the supply of heated air to any car The swinging valves, thefiange-. plates, and the cleats form complete passages.

he chooses.

to supply the cars from the underlying hotair conduit.

The hot air is directed upwardly into the cars, passing into theircentral space, and from thence it is equally distributed in the spacesbetween the overlapping trays, passing forwardly and backwardly throughsaid space and out through the end valves H of said cars, beingcontrolled in any space by said" and operated by the sliding bar, and alink connected with the other part of said valve, and a slidingconnection connected with the arm of the other part, substantially asdescribed.

2. In a drier, and in combination with a se ries of movable receptaclesor cars for the material, an underlying hot-air conduit having openingsat intervals communicating with the receptacles or cars above, thetwo-part swinging valves E, controlling said openings, the independentsliding bars F, for separately operating said valves, the slotted armsconnected with one part of the valves and operated by the sliding bars,and the links connected with the other part'of 'the'valves and havingpins working in the slotted portions of the arms, substantially asdescribed.

3. In a drier, the receptacle or car for the material, and theunderlying hot-air conduit having an opening communicating with saidreceptacle or car, in combination with the swinging two-part valve E,controlling the opening, and the side flange-plates, and thecross-cleats on the receptacle or car forming with said valve acommunicating-passage from the hot-air conduit to the receptacle or car,

substantially as described.

4. In a drier, a car for the material, having a closed top and sides, acentral air-space receiving heated air at its base, and a series ofseparated trays in front and back of said space, in combination withvalve-controlled openings in its front and back, whereby the passage ofair between the trays maybe controlled, substantially as described.

5. In a drier, the car for the material,having a closed top and sides, acentralair-space receiving heated air at its base, and a series ofseparated trays in front and back of said space, in combination withopenings in the front and back walls of said car, and the valvescontrolling said openings, consisting of a fixed rabbeted strip and amovable rabbeted strip connected with the fixed strip by pivoted links,substantially as described.

In witness whereof I have hereunto set my hand.

ELTON R. SHAW.

Witnesses:

S. H. NoURsE, H. 0. LEE.

